Margaux Fodéré 06h51, January 22, 2023
This Sunday marks the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty.
On occasion, a Franco-German council of ministers is organized at the Élysée.
The opportunity for the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire and his German counterpart to discuss Europe's response to the American plan to subsidize industry across the Atlantic.
The Franco-German couple is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty today.
Signed on January 22, 1963, it sealed the reconciliation between France and Germany.
For the occasion, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Paris and a Franco-German council of ministers is scheduled for midday.
The opportunity for Bruno Le Maire and his German counterpart to discuss Europe's response to the American plan to subsidize industry across the Atlantic.
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Two major topics: inflation and the greening of European industry
These are two major areas of concern for the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire: the fight against inflation and the greening of industry.
Two sectors where the room for maneuver of the Member States of the Union is limited by European rules.
Aid for a green industry project therefore never represents more than 30% of the investments necessary for the construction of the plant in France, compared to 80% in the United States with the Inflation Reduction Act.
A green partnership?
To address this imbalance, France and Germany last December proposed a green partnership between the European Union and the United States with joint standards and subsidy schemes.
Since then, nothing has progressed.
France is reflecting with its German partners on a convergent approach, confides the government.
All of this will have to be discussed at the European Council in February.
Bruno Le Maire and his German counterpart are also due to travel to the United States, with two European commissioners, in the coming weeks.